Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh): Indian Navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar said on Sunday that the force seeks to be the preferred security partner of all the smaller countries in the region.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of MILAN-2022, Kumar said that not only is the Indian Navy trying to be the preferred security partner of all the smaller countries in the region but also the first one to respond whenever there is a natural calamity in view of its proximity and ability to respond.
He also said that the Indian Navy has now gained a higher level of trust with its friendly neighbors. He said that the Multilateral Naval Exercise, MILAN 22 reflects how India has grown as a nation and how the Navy has evolved over time.
As for the benefits of the MILAN, the Navy Chief said that there are three of them with the first one being interoperability with other navies. The other two, he said, were learning the good practices from other Navies and development of trust among navies.
"Operating at sea, working together, and making friendships led to the development of trust between navies," said Kumar.
"This is very important for us because we all operate in the maritime domain that is very challenging. This also makes sure we all prosper from the benefits the sea offers in terms of resources," he added.
The Opening Ceremony of the biennial Multilateral Naval Exercise, MILAN 22 was held at the Naval Auditorium at Visakhapatnam on Saturday with the Minister of State (MoS), Defense, Ajay Bhatt as the chief guest.
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Apart from the Indian Navy chief, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, Ambassadors, High Commissioners, Chiefs of Navies, Delegation Heads of participating countries, and the Commanding Officers and crew of all participating ships attended the event.
" MILAN exercise is taking place in a way that will go down in the history of Visakhapatnam with 39 countries participating in the celebrations. The seashore was the venue for naval maneuvers. INS Visakhapatnam has recently joined the Navy. The lighthouse, dolphin nose, and black deer are depicted on the ship. Recently 'INS Vela' joined the submarine fleet. With the arrival of the submarine, another chapter in the defense of the area began. The acrobatics of the ships excite the people of Visakhapatnam. Acrobatics will build more confidence in the military," he said.
"The eleventh edition of MILAN is being hosted by the Eastern Naval Command at the City of Destiny, Vishakhapatnam for the first time. All previous editions have been held at Port Blair under the aegis of the Tri-Service Andaman and Nicobar Command," stated an official release.
"The participation from Friendly Foreign Countries includes 13 ships, 39 delegations and one Maritime Patrol Aircraft. This large congregation gives significance and potency to the word ‘MILAN’ which means “meeting” or “confluence” in Hindi," it added.
It further stated that the goals of MILAN are aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's SAGAR – Security and Growth for All in the Region adding MILAN 22 will play a vital role in establishing regional synergy for achieving peace and prosperity through cooperation and collaboration.
(With agency inputs)
